Girl, 3, abducted in Mundelein, then returned

The Mundelein Police Department has released a sketch of the man suspected of abducting a 3-year-old girl.

The Mundelein Police Department has released a sketch of the man suspected of abducting a 3-year-old girl. (Mundelein Police Department image)

Dan WatersTribune reporter

Mundelein police are asking the public for help in identifying a man they say abducted a 3-year-old girl from the northwest suburb for about 30 minutes on Monday before returning her.

The girl was taken from outside the entrance to an apartment complex in the 500 block of Deepwoods Drive around 5:30 p.m., Police Chief Eric Guenther said. She was missing for about half an hour before being dropped off in a nearby parking lot by the offender, whom witnesses described as a man between 20 and 30 years old.

Police said the man, believed to be Hispanic, has short, curly hair and a goatee, and was seen driving a dark-colored compact car with aftermarket wheels. Police have released a picture of the car, which they said is possibly a navy blue or black 2006 to 2008 Hyundai Accent four-door sedan.

Guenther said police were still trying to determine what happened to the girl during the time she was gone.

The girl was returning from the store with her mother and her 9-year-old sister when the man grabbed the younger child as her mom walked through the double doors into the apartment complex where the family lives.

Hearing her 9-year-old daughter call for help, the woman rushed outside to find her younger daughter. The mother then called police.

Police canvassed the area, which Guenther said was heavily populated at the time of the abduction.

Witnesses told police that they may have seen the same man in the area both the day before the abduction and earlier the same day, when he was allegedly handing out candy to children.

Police declined to say if they have identified any possible suspects.

The apartment where the girl lives is part of a three-building complex, Guenther said. The man dropped the girl off in the back parking lot of one of the other complexes.

After the alleged abductor fled, the girl ran toward the nearest apartment building. A resident there approached the girl and waited with her for a parent to show up for her. When no one did, the resident took the girl back to her own building, where police were interviewing potential witnesses.

“This is a very uncommon act, period, to have a child taken in any manner,” Guenther said. “But in the manner in which he did this, it’s a very brazen statement. It’s concerning.”

Police alerted schools in the area, and are urging residents to be aware of any suspicious people in their neighborhoods. Police are asking anyone with information on the abduction to contact the Mundelein Police Department at 847-968-4600.